MANKATO (TEC News) – The fourth of five members of an alleged local gang was sentenced Wednesday to 54 months in prison for selling drugs out of a Mankato home in 2010.
29-year-old Richard Ramon Gordon will spend 36 months behind bars and the remainder on supervised released.
Gordon has been in custody since in arrest and will receive credit for the 379 days he has spent in the Blue Earth County jail.
He was charged with 19 felony counts of selling drugs, including one for racketeering and another of a Crime Committed for Benefit of a Gang.
Those charges, along with 14 others were dismissed back in August.
Gordon entered a guilty plea to two counts of 3rd Degree Drug Sale and one count of Aiding and Abetting 3rd Degree Drug Sale.
Gordon was arrested for selling cocaine to an undercover drug task force informant in October and November 2010.
Earlier this week, the alleged ring leader, Cedric Berry entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to prison on the day his jury trial was set to begin.
Today in court, Gordon declined to apologize for his actions, saying he was ready to accept responsibility for his actions.
“Nobody put a gun to my head to commit my crimes,” said Gordon. “Nobody forced my hand.”
Gordon’s attorney Jeannie Blatz told the court that her client has been active in participating and contributing to AA meetings in the jail.
“I’ve made changes since I’ve been in here,” said Gordon.
He’s also had changes outside of jail.
“I’ve had a daughter since I’ve been in here, “ said Gordon. “Her birthday was yesterday.”
Gordon, who has an extensive criminal history, lamented that he never got a second chance and was asking for the judge to sentence him on the low end of the scale.
Judge Bradley Walker disagreed.
“Based on your record, you’ve multiple second chances,” said Walker.
“You’ve made bad choices. You’re a big boy,” said Walker. “You can now make your own choices not to get back into the system.”
Previously, 19-year-old Devon Maurice Crumble and 25-year-old Armand Rashad Smith reached plea deals.
The fifth person charged, 29-year-old Steven Curtis Johnson remains at large and is believed to be out of state in Chicago or Gary, Indiana.